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Treasures may mark ocean grave of Blackbeard's ship
October 9, 1997
Web posted at: 6:18 p.m. EDT (2218 GMT)
OFF BEAUFORT, North Carolina (CNN) -- Divers searching the Atlantic Ocean off Beaufort are trying to turn the legend of the notorious English pirate Blackbeard into real history.
Blackbeard, you see, actually lived. The man whose real name likely was Edward Teach, or Thatch, was tall and fierce-looking, and wore his long, black beard in braids.
He had a lengthy, prosperous career under the protection of Carolina Gov. Charles Eden, and terrorized the U.S. colonies early in the 18th century. Eventually, the lieutenant governor of Virginia ordered the pirate killed.
What has drawn scientists to the ocean site is the possibility that Blackbeard's ship, Queen Anne's Revenge, may have sunk there in 1718.
A team of researchers and divers began a month-long expedition last week to search for proof.
Already, they've spotted an impressive array of artifacts, including nine cannon barrels, two large anchors, grappling hooks, clusters of cannon balls, rigging parts, barrel hoops and a host of bricks and bottles.
Slave ship became pirate ship
Still, researchers are not positive they've discovered Blackbeard's ship. "We don't have any other candidates in the historical record for a ship of this size having been lost from that time period," says Richard Lawrence of the North Carolina Underwater Archeological Unit. "The artifacts all date to that time period."
Historical documents indicate the Queen Anne's Revenge was built in England in 1710 and originally named the Concorde.
The vessel was modified and eventually became a slave ship off the west African nation of Senegal before being captured by Blackbeard in 1717.
He renamed it the Queen Anne's Revenge and doubled its complement of cannons to 40, giving it added firepower in attacks on well-armed merchant ships.
The modifications and accounts of the ship's original construction and overall dimensions will play a key role in determining its identity, researchers say.
Reports indicate it was a three-masted vessel just over 100 feet long and about 25 feet wide. Those dimensions correspond to what divers are finding underwater.
Some items from the wreck, which was first discovered last fall, have been brought to shore.
The findings that may add to our knowledge of pirates -- "the dregs of society," as David Moore of the North Carolina Maritime Museum describes them.
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Two months after the sinking of Queen Anne's Revenge, Blackbeard died at the hands of the Royal Navy off Ocracoke, North Carolina.
He was beheaded and his head hung from the bowsprit of a warship. So fearsome was he, according to legend, that his headless body, pitched overboard, swam around the ship several times.
The salvaging of Blackbeard's ship -- if it is his -- likely will take a few years. Then after almost three centuries, the story of Blackbeard will go from legend to history.
Correspondent Brian Cabell and Reuters contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- Artifacts uncovered from centuries-old shipwreck - August 10, 1997
- Team uses sub, robot to recover ancient shipwreck ruins - July 30, 1997
Related sites:
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- N.C. Dept. of Cultural Resources - 'Blackbeard' shipwreck found: More information on Blackbeard.
- Pirateer: Loads of pirate information in 5 languages.
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